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Marc Bekoff , emeritus prof at the University of Colorado , Boulder , is one of the world ’s pioneering cognitive ethologist , a Guggenheim Fellow , and co - founder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatmentof Animals . Bekoff ’s latest book isWhy Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed(New World Library , 2013 ) . This essay is conform from one that appeared in Bekoff ’s columnAnimal Emotionsin Psychology Today . He impart this article to LiveScience’sExpert Voices : Op - Ed & Insights .
It ’s 2014 , and as usual , my email inbox is loaded with interesting novel story about various view of animal behavior . Two study recently caught my centre , and show how much we still have to learn about non - human animals ( beast ) .
Dogs prefer to poop while facing north-south, a recent study suggests.
It ’s particularly interesting that the two , completely different studies expand people ’s cognition about animals ' incredibly diverse lives — a mandate that humanity keeps the room access undetermined about the fascinating lives of the other beings with whom we share Earth .
The low-down on orienting to poop
The first study I readsuggests cad might poop in strain with the Earth ’s charismatic theatre . Who would have remember that dogs would be raw to the Earth ’s charismatic battleground ? I have to take that at first I was a bit skeptical about this study , conducted over two yr by German and Czech researchers . And , although I ’ve studied dogs and their unwarranted relatives for decade — including patterns of pooping and peeing — this musical theme never crossed my mind . The way canines set themselves when eliminating seemed very random , although often they would orientate themselves so that they could be seen by others .
Dogs prefer to poop while facing north-south, a recent study suggests.
However , in reading through the research paper write in the professional journalFrontiers in Zoology — the newspaper is " Dogs are raw to small variations of the Earth ’s magnetized athletic field " — I come to see that the data stick out the conclusions the investigator declare oneself .
Specifically , the analysis of more than 70 wienerwurst from 37 breed showed that dogs preferred to defecate with their body aligned along the compass north - southward axis of rotation ( under serene magnetic sphere conditions ) . When the local charismatic field was thrown out of whack , the dogs were less picky about where they relieved themselves .
The researchers to the full recognize that it remains unknown why dog orient themselves the agency they do , and it ’s not readable whether the behaviour is free-base on conscious decisions . However , the data also show that the dogs not onlypreferthe North - South centering when pooping and peeing , but also that they annul an East - West direction .
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There are a lot of question that need to be addressed . I marvel , for exercise , if cad are ineffective to appraise the Earth ’s magnetic subject area , how might their demeanour change ? There are non - trespassing ways to conduct such a field of study . notwithstanding , this is the first demonstration of charismatic field sensitiveness in dogs .
If the study is any meter reading , 2014 is going to be an heart - opener aboutthe enthralling beast with whom we share our planet . Which brings me to the 2d conduct patch to dominate the newsworthiness of deep .
dolphinfish get eminent with a short assistance from their supporter
To mentality , Steve Williams of care2.comwrites , " When jeopardize , pufferfish can pass a muscular neurolysin : tetrodotoxin . The substance , which can be lethal in high doses but in minuscule quantity is comparatively benign , in effect blocks neurons in thebrainfrom firing and therefore bring forth a soporific effect . It is currently being enquire as a potential way to treat pain in Cancer the Crab patients . The teenage mahimahi appeared to be ' chewing quilt ' … for no other reason than know an adapted state of matter of awareness . " [ Pot and Pets : Should Dogs Get High ? ]
Scientists already acknowledge that dolphin are exceptionally smart and emotional existence , and many people , including many researchers , consider dolphins as personsand have vehemently argued that dolphins merit much more protective cover than they now have . In 2013India doom dolphins as " non - human persons"and ban their use for public amusement anywhere in the land .
Once again , claims about human exceptionalism are shown to be mislead ( see " We Are Animals and Therein Lies Hope for a Better Future " ) . The last paragraph of Williams ’s articlemakes for very interesting reading : " It is hoped that in the next few years evidence like the ' dolphin doing drugs ' meme will be so startlingly demonstrable that policy God Almighty will no longer be capable to disregard the government issue of cetaceous rights . Though , it has to be tell , on the sidereal day those deserved rights are open , it would be nice if the dolphins are n’t entirely pit . "
Stay tuned — I imagine we can expect more insights this yr such as these , glimpse into the captivating life of the other animals with whom we deal our magnificent planet .
Bekoff ’s most late Op - Ed was " ignore Nature No More : The State of the Animals 2013 " This article was adapted from " Dolphins Get High With a Little Help From Their admirer " and " Dogs Line Up With the Earth ’s Magnetic Field to Poop and Pee " inPsychology Today . The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher . This version of the clause was earlier bring out onLiveScience .
